His Eyes
by Smorefan
Summary: My first fic. ONE-SHOT revised 03/08. Someone's view of the final battle and one of the key participants. Please RR!


_A/N: Just a short one shot…_

The very air sizzled with the sheer raw power. Soldiers for both the light and dark stood shoulder to shoulder in shock and awe. We all just stood and watched as the most powerful duel in recorded and remembered history raged on in front of us. No one moved. Everyone stood watching as the duel that would determine the fate of world raged on for over an hour; the last battle of the Second war against Voldemort, and the final battle to be fought by one of the duelers. Everyone knew only one would be able to walk away if in fact either did.

I stood transfixed at what I was seeing. I watched as a scrawny, black-haired, 17 year old green-eyed young man challenged the most feared wizard to exist for centuries. It was a battle to the death, yet he showed no fear, and for that he would once again be labeled a hero. Even if the young man had died the moment HE had fired the first curse, he still would have been a hero; for trying. For standing up against HIM, and for taking a stand to fight for what is right. He always hated that, being considered a hero. In his mind he was just doing what he had to; but everyone saw him as a hero. It was one of the very few things he hated.

He hated being considered a hero and he hated fear. He didn't hate Snape or even Wormtail or Voldemort. They ruined his life, albeit in different ways, but he didn't hate them, he told me once that he pitied them. Simple pity, it wasn't even an intense loathing, just…pity. So maybe that's why there was no fear in his eyes as he challenged that vicious megalomaniac…because he pitied him. But no, there wasn't even really pity there, they were blank. They showed no emotion at all, they were just… blank. They had been that way for some time.

It scared me when they first lost all the emotion and feeling they once showed so clearly during that summer after his fifth year. I asked mum about it once that summer, she said he was just grieving. But I don't think he was. I had seen him grieve before, especially after Cedric's death in his fourth year. I have watched him for years from the shadows and grief was something he often felt, whenever someone got hurt or killed whether he knew them or not. No, I had seen grief in those eyes before. I knew that this wasn't 'just grieving'. It is often said that his eyes are windows into his soul. It's true. He could never hide his emotions from his eyes. Never.

Not even in King's Cross before he started Hogwarts. I didn't even know him then, but I saw it all; the fear, the excitement, the nervousness, and the curiosity at the strange new world being opened to him. It was all there like an open book, for everyone to read. And I did. For years I have watched his eyes flash with every emotion known to mankind. I have seen emotions I can't even put a name to, they're just feelings, indescribable feelings. I watched as they flashed with excitement and triumph every time he caught the snitch. I watched, as they burned with a cold fury when Malfoy called Hermione a mudblood, or when Snape insulted his father or godfather yet again.

I watched as those emerald orbs filled up with grief and guilt after loosing Cedric Diggory, and widen in shock when ever he was hugged. I watched it all, but this was different, I had never seen this before. They were empty, like all the life was gone from them. There was not even the appearance of old age I had seen in them on occasion. It was like he had already grown old and died. They seemed empty, lifeless. And I think they were, I think the night Sirius was killed so was his soul. The empty, haunted look left his face eventually, but never his eyes. His eyes are dead and have been for two years.

So as I stand here and watch as he delivers the final blow to that bastard that has destroyed so much. As I see his lifeless body fall over from the power it took to destroy HIM; as I look into his lifeless eyes as we bury him next to his parents, godfather, and 'Uncle Moony' I can't help but think. Harry Potter, the man who had once again saved the world from Voldemort (and this time for good), did not die on the day of that final battle. He died two years ago, when his life tumbled down to his feet, when that emptiness took up residence in his eyes. It has just taken this long for his body to catch up with his soul.

_A/N: Hey! Thanks for reading! I know it wasn't that great but I had the urge to re-work my first ever fanfic. I would love to hear from you, just hit that little button down there ;) I originally wrote this from what I saw as Ginny's pov, but have since realized that more then one character could fit. So, who did you think it was? Have a great day!_

_Smorefan_


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